The present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a program. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a program that execute processing for generating a three-dimensional image (3D image) to be stereoscopically viewed (three-dimensionally viewed).
A stereoscopic image (three-dimensional image) that can be viewed as a three-dimensional image having depth is configured of a combination of two images of an image for a left eye and an image for a right eye, which are images from different viewing points. In order to obtain the images from the two viewing points, that is, binocular parallax images, two imaging apparatuses are arranged at left and right sides to be apart from each other and capture images.
A pair of captured stereoscopic images are configured using a pair of images including an image for a left eye to be captured by the left imaging apparatus and observed by the left eye and an image for a right eye to be captured by the right imaging apparatus and observed by the right eye.
The pair of stereoscopic images that are configured using the pair of images including the image for the left eye and the image for the right eye are displayed on a display apparatus that can separate the image for the left eye and the image for the right eye to be viewed by the left eye and the right eye of an observer, such that the observer can recognize the images as a three-dimensional image.
However, when the images from the two viewing points are photographed using the two cameras, precise synchronization control of the two cameras should be performed, the synchronization control is very difficult, and accurate control of a convergence angle is very difficult.
A three-dimensional photographing apparatus in which polarization filters polarized to become orthogonal in relation are combined to facilitate adjustment of a lens system to perform three-dimensional photographing and an optical system is shared is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-054991.
A method of performing three-dimensional photographing by an imaging apparatus including two lenses and one imaging unit is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-309868. The imaging apparatus that is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-309868 sets (a) a combination configuration of a lens and a horizontal component polarization filter and (b) a combination configuration of a lens and a vertical component polarization filter arranged to be apart from each other by an interval according to human parallax to positions apart from an imaging surface of a CCD by a predetermined distance and acquires an image for a left eye and an image for a right eye using the two combination configurations of (a) and (b).